|
OKLAHOMA (USA): COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS HALTED THE EXECUTION OF GLOSSIP
September 16, 2015: The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals halted the execution of Richard Eugene Glossip after his attorneys asked for time to review new evidence, including a fellow inmate’s claim that he overheard the other man convicted in the case admit he acted alone.
Richard Eugene Glossip was twice convicted of ordering the killing of Barry Van Treese, who owned the Oklahoma City motel where he worked.
His co-worker, Justin Sneed, was convicted of fatally beating Van Treese and was a key prosecution witness in Glossip’s trials.
Glossip, 52, was scheduled to be executed at 3 p.m. But at 11,30 the Court of Appeals agreed to delay the lethal injection after Glossip’s attorneys said they had new evidence.
Among the material is a signed affidavit from another inmate, Michael Scott, who claims he heard Sneed say “he set Richard Glossip up, and that Richard Glossip didn’t do anything.” The court said it granted the temporary stay “due to Glossip’s last-minute filing and in order for this court to give fair consideration” to his claims.
The court rescheduled his execution for Sept. 30.
Glossip’s case garnered international attention after Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon, who played a nun in the movie “Dead Man Walking,” took up his cause. The woman Sarandon portrayed in the movie, anti-death penalty advocate Sister Helen Prejean, has served as Glossip’s spiritual adviser and frequently visited him in prison.
On Tuesday, Glossip maintained his innocence during a brief telephone interview with The Associated Press. He said he hoped his life would be spared, and that he remained optimistic. “They’ll never take that from me,” Glossip told the AP. “I won’t let it bring me down. If you’ve got to go out … you don’t want to be bitter and angry about it.” (Source: Associated Press, 16/09/2015)
|
